Device for Storing an Angle and the Application Thereof to the Handling of Loads

The present invention relates to an angle storing or memorizing device and the application of this device to the handling of loads, for example containers.

There are many technical fields in which it is desirable to memorize on an object the angle of inclination relative to the horizontal of a reference direction on a surface of this object in a given position of the latter. This is in particular the case of the handling of containers arranged in close rows on the deck or in cells of a ship.

Indeed, except in the case of certain containers filled with bulk material and in which the load is uniformly distributed, most containers have a load whose centre of gravity does not coincide with the geometric centre. This phenomenon, which is of little importance in the case of handling devices of containers suspended at four points, becomes preponderant in the case of handling devices hooked at a single point, for example with a crane. In this case, the hooking point of the handling device must be displaced in such manner as to raise the load under good conditions of horizontality; this function becomes fundamental in the case where the containers must be arranged in rows on board a ship on a deck or in cells since the geometric storage places of the containers are defined with very small tolerances, on the order of a few tens of millimeters. These tolerances permit a maximum inclination on the container, of about 0.6.degree. before the latter is jammed by the uprights of the cells.

For maintaining a load such as a container or the like under such severe conditions of horizontality, a handling device is known of the type comprising a frame suspended at a point from a handling machine and adapted to be brought onto the load, means for locking the frame to the load, means for displacing said suspension point in a reference direction on the frame, a level detector placed in a vertical plane parallel to said reference direction and adapted to deliver an output signal when it has a defect of horizontality, and means responsive to said signal for controlling when the load is being hoisted, the displacement of said suspension point to a position in which it cancels out the defect of horizontality of the detector.

In this device the detector is parallel to the reference direction and the position of the suspension point is governed by the detector in order to maintain the two levels of the latter in the same horizontal plane, which signifies that the load is always maintained under perfect conditions of horizontality.

However, this device is not satisfactory in all cases since the angular position of a boat varies in accordance with its state of loading and ballasting and it is usually acknowledged that this angular position of the boat could reach 2.degree.. Under these conditions, the uprights of the cells adapted to receive the containers are inclined to the vertical at an angle greater than 0.6.degree. and consequently the maintenance of the container under the strict conditions of horizontality by means of the seizing device described above opposes the removal of this container from its cell.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for storing, on an object adapted to undergo displacements, the angle of displacement relative to the horizontal of a reference direction on a surface of this object in a given position of the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a load seizing device comprising such an angle storing device so as to in particular permit the handling of a container on board a ship on the deck or in cells, even when the angular position of this ship exceeds the maximum angle of relative inclination between the container and the uprights of the cells allowed by the manufacturing tolerances of these cells.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for storing, on an object adapted to undergo displacements, the angle of inclination relative to the horizontal of a reference direction on a surface of said object in a given position of the latter, wherein there are provided a support, a level detector pivotally connected to the support, means for locking the support to said object in a position in which the level detector is disposed substantially in a vertical plane which is parallel to or contains said reference direction, and means for regulating the position of the detector so as to bring it, in said given position of the object, to a horizontal position in which it stores said angle of inclination and maintains it in this position relative to the object.

According to the invention, there is also provided a seizing device of the type comprising a frame suspended at a point from a handling machine and adapted to be brought onto a load, for example a container, means for locking the frame to the load, means for displacing said point of suspension in a reference direction of the frame, a level detector placed in a vertical plane parallel to said direction and adapted to deliver an output signal when it has a defect of horizontality and means responsive to said output signal for controlling, upon the hoisting of the load, the displacement of said suspension point to a position in which it cancels out the defect of horizontality of the detector, wherein said frame and said detector constitute respectively the support and the detector of an angle storing device defined hereinabove, and the regulating means comprise means for actuating the detector, means for controlling said actuating means by the output signal of the detector so as to control, in the position in which the frame is placed on the load, the automatic tipping of the detector to its horizontal position prior to the hoisting of the load by said seizing device, and means for inhibiting the control means for maintaining, upon the hoisting of the load, the detector in its position with respect to the frame in which it stores the angle of position of the load.

The seizing device arranged in this way enables in particular a container whose centre of gravity is central or not central to be removed from a ship having cells and having an angular position exceeding the maximum relative inclination between the container and the uprights of the cells allowed by the tolerances of the cells, owing to the fact that owing to the prior positioning of the pivotal detector, and then that of the point of suspension when hoisting, the walls of the container remain constantly parallel to the uprights of the cells during the hoisting of the container. This device is of particular interest in the case of hoisting containers stored in cells since, in use, the jamming of the containers and the cells always occur when carrying out unloading operations, and moreover, in the course of this handling, the crane driver does not necessarily see the bottom of the cell and consequently cannot manually correct the inclination of the seizing device by a direct control of the displacement of the point of suspension.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description of an embodiment of a container seizing device having a storage of an angle which is given solely by way of example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a seizing device according to the invention mounted on a container disposed in a cell of a ship having a large angular position or trim;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of the detector after it has been returned to the horizontal position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of the device at the start of the hoisting operation;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the carriage in the position it occupies after having cancelled out the defect of horizontality of the detector;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view, in more detail and with parts cut away, of the seizing device according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the seizing device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational, view with a part cut away, of one end of the level detector;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of details of a corner of the seizing device showing the means for locking this device to a container and means for detecting when the seizing device bears against the container;

FIG. 9 is a detail plan view of the means for locking the seizing device to a container and means for detecting the end of the locking;

FIG. 10 is a diagram of the principle of the electrohydraulic circuit associated with the seizing device according to the invention.

With reference first to FIGS. 1 to 4, which show the different stages of the hoisting of a container 1 out of a cell 2 of a ship (not shown) having a large inclination of angular position represented by the angle .alpha.. As shown in FIG. 1, the seizing device 3 comprises essentially a frame 4 which bears on the container 1, a carriage 5 hooked by a cable 6 to a handling machine (not shown) and capable of being moved along the median longitudinal axis of the frame 4, and a level detector 7 which is pivotally mounted on the frame 4 to pivot about a pin 8 at one of its ends so as to be capable of tipping in a vertical plane parallel to said median longitudinal axis.

In a position shown in FIG. 1, the seizing device 3 has just been brought onto the container 1 and merely bears against the latter. The detector 7 which was initially parallel to said median axis, then has a defect of horizontality equal to the angle .alpha..

However, the fact that the seizing device 3 bears against the container 1 initiates, as described in more detail hereinafter, means for actuating the detector 7 so as to bring the latter to its horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2, that is to say the detector 7 stores or memorizes the angle .alpha. of the container and the ship. During the stage, the seizing device 3 is locked to the container 1 and the crane driver then initiates the hoisting of the assembly.

As, apart from an exceptional coincidence, the carriage 5 is not then in vertical alignment with the centre of gravity G of the container 1, the latter tips about its point of suspension and abuts the lateral walls of the cell 2 as shown in FIG. 3. The control circuits for controlling the carriage, which are described hereinafter, then operate to displace the carriage to a position in which the level detector which has become fixed relative to the frame 4, is returned to the horizontal position and in which the container consequently resumes the initial inclination .alpha. equal to the angular position of the ship, as shown in FIG. 4. The container 1 can then be hoisted from the ship with no problem.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 5 to 9 which show a preferred embodiment of the seizing device according to the invention. This seizing device 3 comprises a frame 4 which, on the whole is similar to that described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,149. This frame 4 comprises a centre beam or girder 9 which is rigid at each end with a section member 10 whose ends together define the four corners of a rectangle of the same dimension as the containers 1 to be raised. Four reinforcing section members 11 disposed obliquely between the centre girder 9 and the ends of the section members 10 each carry a centering arm 12 of the type described in the aforementioned U.S. patent.

The centre girder 9 carries on its lower side a pair of rails 13 and on its upper side a pair of rails 14 whereby the carriage 5 can roll along the girder 9 by means of two pairs of lower rollers 15 and two pairs of upper rollers 16. The carriage 5 therefore supports the frame 4 and it is itself suspended from the handling machine (not shown) by the cable 6 which passes around two pulleys 17 which are disposed symmetrically on each side of the median longitudinal axis A--A of the frame, along which the carriage 5 can roll. This arrangement permits avoiding the inclination of the frame 4 on its median transverse axis B--B but, notwithstanding the presence of the two pulleys 17, it may nonetheless be likened to a hooking at a single point with respect to its possibilities of inclination on its median longitudinal axis A--A. The displacement of the carriage 5 along the centre girder 9 is controlled by a double-acting hydraulic jack 18 which is pivotally mounted at one of its ends on the frame 4 and at its other end on the carriage 5.

The level detector 7 comprises essentially two liquid tanks 19, 20 spaced from each other and put in communication in their lower part by a pipe 21. The detector 7 is disposed parallel to the girder 9 on which it is mounted at one of its ends to pivot about the pin 18 which is parallel to the general plane of the frame 4 and orthogonal to its median longitudinal axis A--A. The detector 7 is pivotally mounted at 22, in the vicinity of its other end, on the end of the piston of a double-acting hydraulic jack 23 whose body is fixed to the centre girder 9. The tank 20 of the detector 7 located adjacent the jack 23 is divided into two compartments 24, 25 which communicate with each other and in each of which plunges a fluidtight pipe 26 along which is slidably mounted a float 27 in which is embedded a permanent magnet 28. An electric blade switch is disposed in each of the fluid-tight pipes 26, one, 29, in the lower part of one of the pipes and the other, 30, in the upper part of the other pipe. The two switches 29, 30 are disposed at sufficient distance from each other in the vertical direction so that, when the detector 7 is in the horizontal position, the floats 27 are, one, just below the upper switch 30, and, the other, just above the lower switch 29, so that none of the two switches is closed in this position. On the other hand, if the tank 20 containing the two floats is lower than the other tank 19, the level of the liquid L is higher in the tank 20 and the floats 27 rise so that the upper switch 30 is closed by the magnet 28 of the associated float. Inversely, if the tank 20 is at a higher level than the other tank 19, it is the other switch 29 which is closed.

With reference now to FIG. 8, in each of the lower corners of the frame 4 there is pivoted to an arm 31 which is substantially in the shape of an L forming a sensor one of the branches 32 of which projects under the frame 4 and the end of the other branch 33 of which cooperates with a switch 34 the function of which will be explained hereinafter. The arms 31 disposed in the other corners cooperate in the same way with switches 34', 34", 34"'. When the seizing device 3 supports no container, the weight of the lower branch 32 of the arms 31 and the spring R causes them to assume their first position a represented in dot-dash lines in which the switches are open. When the seizing device 3 has just been placed on a container, the lower branch 32 of the L-shape is biased upwardly by the top of the container 1 and assumes, when the seizing device completely bears on the container, its second position b shown in dot-dash lines. In its second position b, the upper branch 33 of the L-shape has displaced the control lever 34 of the switch to its position shown in dot-dash lines and the latter is then closed. Lastly, when, after having locked the seizing device 3 to the container 1, the assembly comprising the seizing device and the container is raised, they separate from each other a predetermined distance corresponding to the longitudinal clearance of the locks (described hereinafter), and the L-shaped arm 31 is then returned by the spring R to its position c shown in full lines and in which the switch is once more open. Each lock disposed at a corner of the frame 4 comprises an oblong bolt 36 which projects under the lower side of the frame 4 and which can be turned between two positions which are offset from each other 90.degree. by means of a jack 37 which is pivotally mounted on the chassis 4 and on the end of an arm 38 rigid with a rod 39 controlling the bolt 36. Each arm 38 comprises an abutment 40 corresponding to the end of the locking. Thus, when the seizing device 3 is brought above a container 1, the jack 37 is in the withdrawn position and the lever 41 of the switch 42 which is not in contact with the abutment 40 is open. Thereafter, when each of the bolts 36 has entered the oblong slot 43 of the corresponding corner box 44 forming a keeper of the container 1, the four jacks 37 are simultaneously actuated so as to turn the bolts 36 through 90.degree. and thereby lock the seizing device 3 to the container 1. The abutments 40 then displace the levers 41 controlling the switches 42 from the position shown in dot-dash lines to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 9 in which the switches are closed. The switches 42 remain thereafter closed so long as the seizing device 3 is locked to a container 1.

With reference now to FIG. 10, which is a diagram of the principle of the electrohydraulic circuit associated with the seizing device 3, this circuit comprises two electrically operated distributor valves ED.sub.1 and ED.sub.2 having four ways, respectively associated with the jack 23 controlling the inclination of the detector 7 and the jack 18 controlling the translation of the carriage 5. Each distributor valve comprises an orifice P connected to a source of hydraulic pressure S, an orifice T connected to a tank (not shown) for releasing the pressure, an orifice A connected to one side of the jack and an orifice B connected to the other side of the jack relative to the piston. Further, check valves 45, 46 are disposed in the pipes extending respectively between the orifices A and B of the distributor valve ED.sub.2 and the two sides of the jack 18 whereas a variable throttle 47 is disposed in the pipe extending between the orifice A of the distributor valve ED.sub.1 and the lower chamber of the jack 23. Each electrically operated distributor valve is supplied with power by an electric supply source of 110 Volts through two moving relay contacts capable of being closed under the conditions described hereinafter.

When the seizing device 3 has descended on top of a container 1, the slide valve member of the distributor valve ED.sub.1 is in the central position for closing and the jack 23 is maintained in the position it occupies. Likewise, the slide valve member of the distributor valve ED.sub.2 is in the central closed position.

The circuit is brought into action by a switch 45 which controls the passage from a "manual" position to an "automatic" position corresponding to its closure. When the seizing device 3 is placed on a container 1, the switches 34, 34', 34", 34"' are closed by the sensors 31, the closure of two of the switches, namely 34 and 34"' ensuring the supply of current to the winding of a relay 49, whose moving contact 49a, which is normally open and connected in series with the switch 48 is closed. The operator then closes a switch 50 which supplies current to a relay controlling the locking 51, whose normally open moving contact 51a, connected in series with the switch 49a, is closed. This switch 51a is itself connected in series with the normally closed moving contact 52a of a relay 52 corresponding to the end of the locking travel whose coil is connected in series with the four switches 42. Moreover, the switches 29 and 30 of the detector 7 are respectively connected in series with the coils of two relays 53 and 54. The relay 53 comprises a moving contact 53a which is normally closed and located between the switch 30 and the coil of the relay 54, and the relay 54 comprises a moving contact 54a which is normally closed and is located between the switch 29 and the coil of the relay 3.

Consequently, if at this stage of the operations the detector 7 is inclined so that its tank 20 is disposed lower than its tank 19, the switch 30 is closed and the relay 54 is supplied with current. The switch 29 is, on the other hand, open, and the relay 53 is not supplied with current. The contact 53a therefore remains closed whereas the contact 54a opens. The supply of current to the relay 54 causes the closure of another normally open moving contact 54b of this relay which is connected in series with the contact 52a. Another moving contact 53b which is normally open of the relay 53 which is connected in parallel with the contact 54b on the other hand remains open. The closure of the contact 54b causes the supply of current to a relay 55 with the coil of which it is connected in series. This relay 55 comprises a normally open moving contact 55a the closure of which ensures the excitation of the electrically operated distributor valve ED.sub.1 in the direction adapted to apply the pressure from P to A and release the pressure from B to T. The piston of the jack 23 is therefore urged upwardly and consequently the tank 20 is also urged upwardly until the detector 7 assumes its horizontal position in which the switch 30 opens. The relay 34 is no longer supplied with current and the movement of the piston stops and the detector 7 remains in the horizontal position.

If, on the other hand, it is the tank 20 which is initially higher than the tank 19, it is the switch 29 which is closed and the operation of the relays 53 and 54 is reversed. In order to ensure this reverse operation, there is provided a relay 56 whose coil is connected in series with the contact 53b and whose moving contact 56a controls the supply of current to the electrically operated distributor valve ED.sub.1 so as to apply the pressure of P to B and release the pressure of A to T and permit the descent of the piston of the jack 23.

The detection of the position of the detector 7 occurs during the locking travel of the bolts 36. At the end of this travel, the contact 52a of the relay corresponding to the end of the locking opens. However, in order to avoid that the started correction of the position of the detector 7 be then interrupted, two normally open contacts 55b, 56b, connected in parallel with the contact 52a and controlled respectively by the relays 55 and 56, are provided. During the stage for detecting the position of the detector 7, either of the contacts 55b and 56b is always closed, since one of the relays 55, 56 is supplied with current. Consequently, after the opening of the contact 52a, the aforementioned correction can continue since one of the relays 55 or 56 continues to be supplied with current through one of the contacts 55b or 56b until the horizontal position of the detector 7 has been reached. The supply of current to the relays 53 or 54 and 55 or 56 is then stopped.

The operator then initiates, by means of the handling machine, the hoisting of the seizing device 3 which is locked to the container 1. This hoisting causes the opening of all the switches 34, 34', 34", 34"' and consequently the opening of the moving contact 49a, as the relay 49 is no longer supplied with current. One of the switches 34' is connected in series with the coil of a time delay relay 57 whose moving contact 54a is normally closed and connected in parallel with the circuit consisting of the moving contacts 49a, 51a, 52a, 55b, 56b, 54b, 53b and the coils of the relays 55 and 56. As the coil of the relay 57 was supplied with current during the preceding stage of correction of horizontality of the detector 7, the moving contact 57 is closed with a delay of one second with respect to the opening of the associated switch 34' due to the timing of the relay. Moreover, one of the other switches, namely, switch 34" is connected in series with a time delay relay 58 whose normally open moving contact 58a is connected in series with the moving contact 57a. This relay is adapted to maintain its moving contact 58a closed during a period of three seconds from the stoppage of the supply of current thereto. Consequently, the moving contacts 57a and 58a are simultaneously closed between the first second and the third second counted from the opening of the switches 34', 34", that is to say substantially from the start of the hoisting. Further, the relay 52 corresponding to the end of the locking comprises a second moving contact 52b which is normally open and connected in series between the contacts 57a and 58a. As the relay 52 is supplied with current through switches 42 then closed, the moving contact 52b remains closed so long as the seizing device 3 is locked on a container 1.

Starting at the moving contact 58a there are connected in parallel coils of two relays, one, 59, being supplied with current through a normally open moving contact 53a of the relay 53, and the other, 60, through a normally open moving contact 54c of the relay 54. The relays 59 and 60 each comprise a normally open moving contact 59a, 60a respectively connected in parallel with the contact 58a and normally open moving contact 59b, 60b respectively, connected in the supply circuit of the electrically operated distributor valve ED.sub.2.

As mentioned before, between the first second and the third second which follow the hoisting, the contacts 57a, 52b and 58a are closed. During this period, the container 1 assumes a new angular position which, as already explained above, causes a new inclination of the detector 7. If the tank 20 is once again lower than the tank 19, the switch 30 is closed and ensures the supply of current to the relay 54. As a result, the contact 54c closes, and consequently current is supplied to the relay 60 which, in turn, closes the contact 60b. The electrically operated distributor valve ED.sub.2 is then supplied with current on the side which tends to apply the pressure of P to A and release the pressure from B to T. This causes the piston of the jack to move toward the right, as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 10, that is to say, in the direction which tends to displace the carriage 5 in the direction of the lower end of the frame 4. This movement is continued until the levels of the detector 7 have returned to the horizontal position upon which the switch 30 opens and the distributor valve ED.sub.2 returns to its central position in which it maintains the piston of the jack 18 in its new position. The correction of the angular position of the container 1 can continue after the end of the period of three seconds following the start of the hoisting, notwithstanding the opening of the moving contact 58a, due to the fact that one of the moving contacts 59a or 60a, namely 60a in the case of current supply to the relay 60, was already closed. When equilibrium has been reached, this contact opens and the angular position of the container can no longer be modified in the course of the continuance of the hoisting operation. It will be understood that if the container 1 is inclined in the opposite direction, the operation of the circuit is absolutely similar, the relays 53 and 59 being supplied with current to cause the displacement of the piston of the jack 18 in the other direction.

The foregoing description concerns the operation of the circuit for the automatic correction of the horizontality of the detector 7 and of the angular position of the container 1, in the case where the container has initially a certain inclination that must be conserved for hoisting it out of a cell of a ship. On the other hand, if, initially the container is disposed horizontally on a quay side or other surface before loading into a ship having a certain angular position, the inclination of the assembly comprising the seizing device and the container is always possible by translation of the carriage 5. For this purpose, two normally open switches 61, 62 are provided which are connected, one in parallel with the moving contact 59b and the other in parallel with the moving contact 60b, so as to excite the electrically operated distributor valve ED.sub.2 selectively.